CFS, Fibromyalgia and Obesity: The Truth about Exercise and Diet
We have now reached a level of obesity in the US, South
America, Canada, and throughout Europe which is
unprecedented in recorded history.
It is also accepted that the lifestyles we lead are often
very high stress.
It is no coincidence that these new peaks of obesity and
stress correlate directly with an increase in the
occurrence of "modern" or "new" diseases of Western
society, including heart disease, the cancers, and others
including the rheumatic and fatigue spectrum, specifically
in our case Fibromyalgia and CFS.
At least we have moved past the era when debate was so
Neolithic as to suggest that these conditions don't really
exist or are a subdivision of psychology and now we can
concentrate on the science and biology of these diseases
and the reality of life and recovery for Fibromyalgia and
CFS patients.
Carrying extra weight will exacerbate small anomalies in
musculoskeletal balance.
These anomalies in conjunction with a certain genetic
predisposition appear to underlie the onset of Fibromyalgia
and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in certain individuals, while
other individuals who suffer the same initial "trigger"
infection, trauma or exposure recover relatively unscathed.
Post-onset, carrying extra weight may cause your condition
to be maintained longer and exacerbated more than in
patients of normal weight.
The Autonomic Nervous System, damaged by the initial trauma
of your condition controls homeostasis, digestion, and the
organs of elimination to name but a few of its functions.
The ANS will be under additional stress in individuals who
are overweight or clinically obese.
I do appreciate that the last thing you need to hear when
you are struck with the early stages of Fibromyalgia and
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is that you need to lose weight.
In the early stages of the illness weight loss is NOT
advised. I advise sufferers to eat a well balanced diet.
At a later stage as overall toxicity reduces, lymphatic
flow improves, immunological modulation begins and
digestive stress is reduced weight loss strategies can be
considered and undertaken.
However due to the causal factors involved in Fibromyalgia
and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome it is essential to avoid
programs which require strenuous exercise regimes, due to
the onset of post-exertional malaise which is a defining
feature of Fibromyalgia and CFS pathology.
Any program involving sustained aerobic activity that
induces cardiovascular debt or strenuous muscular exertion
such as weightlifting, can seriously damage sufferers of
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Patients suffering "true" CFS should never attempt to waste
what little energy they have on strenuous exercise, whether
it be weight bearing, graded, aerobic or anaerobic.
The only energy you should be expending is on your
essential daily activities, and relaxing walks or pastimes
which will reduce your susceptibility to depression.
What I am about to say I am sure will open a veritable
Pandora's Box, well so be it.
My research has lead me firmly to the conclusion that the
evidence supporting "graded exercise" as a strategy for CFS
and Fibromyalgia treatment is wholly unfounded.
Clinical trials I have investigated which were used as
supporting evidence for the use of graded exercise as an
establishment response to CFS and Fibromyalgia were deeply
flawed as inadequate distinction was made with regards to
the actual medical cause of fatigue in these sufferers.
The definition of Chronic Fatigue was basically that a
subject should have suffered pronounced fatigue for 6
months or more.
From our own research we all know that there are a thousand
and one different causes of long term fatigue. Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome being just one of these.
Similarly it is a recognized fact that patients diagnosed
with mild, post-natal, or clinical depression and/or
Seasonal Affective Disorder often respond well to graded
exercise regimes, particularly if undertaken outdoors in
daylight.
Not only does graded exercise improve stamina via increased
RBC production and oxygen uptake, it provides a lux (unit
of light) boost in SAD sufferers, and provides a new
purpose and routine to depressed patients.
Exercise also produces endorphins which help to boost and
modulate brain chemistry with respect to serotonin and
dopamine balance.
Naturally, it stands to reason that all these factors will
benefit patients with fatigue of DEPRESSIVE origin.
However, damage to the Autonomic Nervous System in patients
with "true" Fibromyalgia and CFS mean that energy
production via the Sympathetic Nervous System in response
to exercise is impaired.
More importantly, removal of toxins and lactic acid
produced by the muscles in response to exercise via the
lymphatic and venous systems is seriously compromised and
as a result causes toxic overload and rapid symptomatic
decline after exercise.
This results in the "post-exertional malaise" that
Fibromyalgia and CFS sufferers who have attempted an
exercise regime WILL have experienced.
A cruel twist in the tale which has lead the establishment
down the pscychological path so many times is that often
the most obvious physical sign of illness in Fibromyalgia
and CFS patients is that they are suffering depression.
It is only now being acknowledged by the establishment that
patients with these syndromes display depression as an
environmental CONSEQUENCE of living with their illness.
It is NOT THE CAUSE as is so often dictated by well-meaning
healthcare providers.
I am putting together a manual of dietary advice which I
will be posting soon, but in the meantime I recommend a
diet that is balanced and safe, rich in nutrients and will
produce sustainable results with regards to maintaining or
reducing your weight while you are still in the
recuperative phase of a chronic disease.
I do admit reservations about recommending calorific
restrictions but our illness is not caused by a lack of
calories, and excessive consumption due to depression or
comfort eating will only serve to overload organs which are
already disturbed and congested.
From a dietary perspective, I advise a pretty standard
protocol:
• Eat 5 or more portions of fresh, raw fruit and lightly
boiled or streamed vegetables per day, with a good balance
of protein and carbohydrates.
• Avoid red meat more than once a week. Eat chicken and
fish instead.
• Avoid too much sugar. Fruit will contain all the sugars
you need in a more useable form.
• Avoid dairy products due to the almost universal immune
over-reaction to cow's milk.
• Avoid alcohol consumption. This should be a given if you
are reading this anyway. The immune response is excessive
and the toxic load on the eliminatory organs such as the
liver, kidneys and stomach are also excessive.
• Take a daily high quality multivitamin/multimineral
supplement.
With this balanced diet you will not be deficient in any
nutrients which could possibly be causing your fatigue, or
that could hinder your recovery from your condition.
Also, you will not be putting undue strain on your
digestive system, which is currently disturbed and
malfunctioning.
I DO advocate taking a high quality
multivitamin/multimineral supplement to top up any slight
deficiencies you may have on a daily basis. They will
certainly do you no harm and for a small price will
eliminate any worries you might have over dietary
deficiencies.
There have been notable cases where sufferers who have been
misdiagnosed have responded remarkably to high doses of the
B-Complex family. It seems malnutrition is still far from
being confined to history in the US and with the rise of
fast food is making quite a confident and remarkable
comeback in our own backyard.
The quality of foods you consume should hugely outweigh the
quantity.
All foods consumed should be natural, unprocessed, and
highly rich in vitamins, minerals and micronutrients.
If I must recommend a particular "fashion" diet that meets
these criteria it would probably be "The South Beach Diet",
but I do not recommend any dietary restrictions till you
are past the 3 month stage of your recovery protocol.
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Mark J Shaw.
Mark is the author of a new digital book and training
manual "Beat Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"
http://www.BeatFibroAndFatigue.com
Mark also publishes in a regular blog at:
http://www.BeatFibroAndFatigue.blogspot.com
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